Overseer of books retires to write own Sunday, September 19, 2004 By JENNA PORTNOY The Express-Times

Barbara Bailey Bauer's work has taken her all over the world.

She studied anthropology in Mexico and Ethiopia and volunteered for the Peace Corps in Peru.

The Essex County, N.J., native eventually put down roots in the Lehigh Valley and has been a full-time fixture at the Easton Area Public Library for 18 years.

On Wednesday, Bauer announced she will retire as library director, effective Jan. 1.

"While I can still be active, there are a lot of other things I'd like to do," she said, sitting in her office at the Church Street library.

In addition to stepping up her community involvement efforts, Bauer plans to spend her free time doing research and writing about local history.

She said the personal stories of important characters throughout history fascinate her.

Coming upon a portrait of Andrew Carnegie -- an image that greets library visitors who arrive at the second floor by elevator -- Bauer stopped to ponder the largely uneducated man's charitable efforts.

Carnegie spent more than $56 million throughout the English-speaking world to build 2,509 libraries, including the one in Downtown Easton.

Following Carnegie's lead, Bauer said she will keep giving her time and skills to the community. The Friends of the Library is starting a book group, whose first selection will focus on broadening people's understanding of Middle Eastern cultures.

Of all her accomplishments, Bauer said she is most proud of the staff at the main and branch libraries. She said she also faced challenges integrating technology into the library while adhering to a tight budget.

"State funding was a real challenge," she said. "Some people expect libraries to just make do. I don't. This library got started because people thought it was important to have a place for the public's education."

Bauer said she will continue her commitment to learning.

Dorothy L. Cieslicki, president of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society, said she looks forward to working with Bauer during her retirement.

"I admire her professionalism greatly," Cieslicki said. "She certainly did wonderful things with the library when she took over there. She's met lots of challenges there."

Bauer served on the historical society board for several years and supports the organization by volunteering to the extent that her library work allows.

"Aside from this being a wonderful job, you realize how important the library is to the community," Bauer said. "And it's wonderful to be able to work with community groups."

Marti Magee, executive director of ProJeCt of Easton Inc., appreciates Bauer's enthusiasm for making library resources available to social-service agencies.

Through the SIZZLE summer literacy camp, Bauer has helped ProJeCt funnel more than $275,000 in grants to the community, Magee said. The Department of Education encourages family reading programs to partner with the local public library, she said.

"There have been some changes at the library, and she's hired some really excellent staff, and they realize the importance of parent and community involvement," Magee said.

"While I wish her well in her retirement, I hope her replacement values community partnerships in the way Barbara has."

Reporter Jenna Portnoy can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at jportnoy@express-times.com.

When this story was posted in October 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL InterviewPCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.

Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?

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Story Source: New Jersey Express Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Peru; COS - Ethiopia; Libraries

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